Traditions

The
History

The United States Merchant Marine Cadet Corps was established on
March 15, 1938 following passage of the Merchant Marine Act of
1936. Training was first given aboard merchant ships and later at
temporary shore establishments pending the acquisition of permanent
facilities. The Walter P. Chrysler Estate at Kings Point was
selected as the permanent site for the Academy in March of 1942 and
construction began the following May.

Fifteen months later the task was completed, and the United
States Merchant Marine Academy was dedicated on September 30,
1943.

World War II required the Academy to forego normal operation to
devote all of its resources toward meeting the emergency personnel
needs of the Merchant Marine. The enrollment was increased to
2,700, and the planned course of instruction was reduced in length
from four years to 18 months. Notwithstanding the war, shipboard
training continued to be an integral part of the Academy
curriculum, and Midshipmen served at sea in combat zones all over
the world.

During World War II, 210 Midshipmen and graduates gave their lives
in service to their country, and many other midshipmen and
graduates survived the war at sea. Seven Midshipmen and one
graduate were awarded the Distinguished Service Medal of the
Merchant Marine, the nation's highest decoration for notable
gallantry and devotion to duty. By the end of the war, the Academy
had graduated 6,634 officers.

The Academy's national value was once again recognized as it
accelerated graduating classes during the Korean and Vietnam
conflicts, and for its involvement in such programs as training
officers of the first U. S. nuclear-powered merchant ship, the
Savanah.

Admission requirements were amended in 1974, and the Academy
became the first federal service school to enroll women
students.

During the Persian Gulf conflict in early 1991, and for many
months prior to the war, both Academy graduates and Midshipmen
played key roles in the massive sealift of military supplies to the
Middle East.

Kings Point, which is one of the five federal academies, has grown
in stature since World War II and has become one of the world's
foremost institutions in the field of maritime education.
Midshipmen select their major course of study from among six major
programs: Marine Transportation, Marine Operations and Technology,
Marine Engineering, Marine Engineering Systems, Shipyard and Marine
Engineering Management, and Logistics and Intermodal
Transportation. Individual courses are available in many other
fields such as Law, Management, Naval Architecture, Computer
Science, and Nuclear Engineering. Upon graduation, Midshipmen will
receive a degree in their chosen major, a Coast Guard License to
sail in the above capacities, and a commission as an Ensign in the
United States Naval Reserve.

An integral part of the Academy curriculum is the training
Midshipmen receive at sea. During their four years, Midshipmen
spend approximately half of their sophomore and junior years aboard
merchant vessels, sailing the trade routes of the world. This
experience allows Midshipmen to explore the maritime field and
travel the world.

Today, graduates are serving with distinction in all sectors of
the maritime industry - as ship's officers, steamship company
executives, admiralty lawyers, marine underwriters, naval
architects, oceanographers, and career officers in the United
States Navy, Coast Guard, Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps.

Location

The Academy is located on 81 acres of waterfront land in Kings
Point, NY, on the North Shore of Long Island, approximately 20
miles east of New York City.

Buildings and Facilities

The Academy campus and facilities were planned for a normal
enrollment of approximately 1,000 Midshipmen (the term is now
applied to women as well as men). The design of the buildings is
simple yet functional, and the campus has been laid out to take
full advantage of the picturesque landscape of the North Shore. The
buildings and walks are named after men and women whose deeds
brought fame to the Merchant Marine or to the Academy.

On the slope looking towards Long Island stands a monument erected
to the memory of 210 Midshipmen and graduates who lost their lives
at sea during World War II. Mariners Memorial Chapel, honoring all
men and women of the Merchant Marine, stands on a grassy knoll to
the south of the War Memorial.

Wiley Hall, facing Long Island Sound, is the center of
administrative activities. Formerly the home of Walter P. Chrysler,
it now bears the name of Admiral Henry A. Wiley, USN, the "Father
of the Cadet Corps." It contains the offices of the Superintendent,
Academic Dean, Commandant of Midshipmen, Director of the Office of
External Affairs, and other members of the administrative staff.
East of Wiley Hall lies the center of the Academy campus marked by
one of the nation's tallest flagpoles, standing 172-feet
tall.